Floaters

Retinal Damage Warning

If you have new bright or black spots in your vision that don't move around, this could be a medical emergency and you should call your optometrist on-call number immediately, or go to your local immediate care center or emergency room for examination. Do not assume this is a harmless floater.

True Floaters

Floaters are spots in the vision that move around as you move your eye. These are usually harmless tangles of collagen in the vitreous humor of the eyeball. You should have new floaters inspected by your optometrist as they can be signs of more serious eye conditions, such as a vitreous detachment which is a risk factor for retinal detachment.

Many people starting EM notice an increase in floaters. It is unknown if this is a side effect of EM, or if changing focal planes just makes existing floaters more noticeable that were previously ignored by the visual cortex.

Typically your optometrist will monitor your floaters without treatment, but there are treatments available for some floaters if they are impeding your ability to focus.